Winter bites
by Sairs
Summary: A challenge piece for a short short story.


_This was written in 2009 as a entry in a short, short story challenge on Romancefanfiction._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Sue Thomas F.B Eye._

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><p><em>Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail. (Proverb)<em>

He tried to run through the snow, but the drifts in places were up to his knees and the best that he could do was a funny running hop motion, but at least he was slowly gaining on him. He couldn't believe that he was spending the night before Christmas Eve chasing a perpetrator through the park in the middle of the most ferocious snow and ice storm to hit D.C. in a decade. He was sure that he had lost the feeling in his feet and hands, but he was determined to catch him and put him where he belonged for Christmas, in a Federal Jail.

He swore to himself as he saw the man climb on to one of the two parked snowmobiles that belonged to the park caretakers and it launched into life and the man increased the distance between them.

Finally he reached the second snowmobile and climbed on saying a silent prayer as he noticed the keys in the ignition. He turned the key and the engine roared into life and as he twisted the handle the snowmobile launched forward suddenly, almost throwing him from the machine, after a few moments he managed to regain his balance and headed off chasing the first snowmobile.

He tried his best to steer the snowmobile, but it wasn't as easy as it looked on the T.V. He found himself swerving to avoid drifts and trees. The swirling flurries of snow hindered his vision and he was becoming aware of how cold he was beginning to feel.

Sharp pinpricks of ice bit into his face and coated his eyelashes until he could barely see. Risking a quick swipe across his eyes, he cursed when the snowmobile swerved on the ice encrusted snow. Blinking furiously to try to clear his sight, the struggle to regain his control over the vehicle was met with mechanical resistance. His attempt to correct turned into a fishtail and in seconds he was spinning out of control. Metal ground against wood and he felt the impact reverberating through every nerve in his body with a sickening finality.

He didn't feel any pain, all he felt were the tendrils of cold spreading from his feet and arms, entwining him in a shivery embrace that he didn't have the strength to fight. He slowly felt himself succumb to the cold and darkness that now encompassed his body, his last conscious thought was of her beautiful face, her twinkling eyes and her smile that always melted his heart. "I'm sorry, Love..." he whispered before finally succumbing to the darkness.

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><p>Her heart pounded in her chest and her stomach was twisting and turning with such speed that she wasn't sure how she was managing to hold onto the remains her lunch. She wanted to scream and shout at the top of her voice at how unfair the world was, but all she could muster was a muffled cry as she collapsed into the chair, her head instantly falling into her hands.<p>

Feeling helpless she clasped her hands together and began to do the only thing she could, she began to pray. Pray that he would be okay, pray that she wouldn't be left alone again. She didn't think she could go on without him, he had crawled into her heart and she didn't want to spend the rest of her life without him.

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><p>Christmas Eve passed and she never once left his bedside, she held onto his hand, rubbing small circles with her thumb, talking to him about every funny and light moment they'd shared. She desperately hoped that the sound of her voice would bring him out of the coma, even though the Doctors had said there was little chance that he would.<p>

She couldn't stop believing that he wouldn't wake up, she wouldn't stop believing. He wouldn't give up on her and she wouldn't give up on him.

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><p>She awoke from her slumber at the sound of bells ringing in the distance, the room was shrouded in darkness, momentarily she was disoriented, and then her heart filled with pain as she remembered she was sitting in a hospital room, waiting for him to wake up.<p>

She glanced at her watch, "It's Christmas, Bobby," she whispered to him as she gently leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his forehead.

She studied his features, looking, hoping for any sign that he was going to wake up. She waited and hoped but he didn't move or respond.

Disappointed she leaned forward and rested her head against his chest, listening to the reassuring regular beat of his heart. Silent tears streamed down her face as her world was shattering around her. Christmas was supposed to be a season of happiness, her favourite of the entire year and now it was the worst day of her life. She closed her eyes and pictured happier times, when they were together, enjoying life. The rhythm of his breathing was as comforting as a mother's lullaby to a child and she relinquished herself to the peace of her dreams.

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><p>He was surrounded by darkness, he felt alone. Wherever he turned he couldn't see her, couldn't find her. Where was she? In the distance he thought he saw the tiniest flicker of light, it caught his attention and he headed towards it. As he moved the light got brighter and brighter, he couldn't resist but move towards it. Was this what heaven looked like, he thought as his eyes tried to focus, to make out where he was.<p>

Then he knew that he wasn't in heaven, he was home. His voice was hoarse as he whispered her name, "Tara."

His heart soared and the pain that wracked through his body evaporated as her beautiful blue eyes opened and met his, a smile lighting her face.

"You're awake," she whispered before gently kissing him, "I love you."

"I love you," he replied, "I couldn't leave you."

She smiled, "I wasn't going to let you leave me. This is the best Christmas present I've ever received, "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Love" he replied holding onto her hand with as much strength as he could muster. Sometimes life throws hurdles in your path, but leaping over them and finding the one person to share that love with you, to grow old with you is worthwhile. He was going to fight to be with her forever and that make sure she would never be alone at Christmas again.

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><p>The end<p> 


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